


Happy New Year! Or, let's drink to surprise!!

by Anonymous



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-08-19
Packaged: 2018-12-17 04:39:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11844120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Ovi’s in for a big surprise when he goes to Geno’s house for New Year’s…a surprise in Russian, no less. Never believe what you think the first time!(AKA—Au where Sidney Crosby can speak some Russian and freaks Ovi the FUCK out for a sec because MY SOUL NEEDS THIS AU){also AKA—I AM V BAD AT MAKING TOASTS IM SO SRRY}





	Happy New Year! Or, let's drink to surprise!!

**Author's Note:**

> Если вы можете читать эти слова, то пожалуйста, простите за мой плохой русский. Он не мой родной язык. Если вы хотите помочь мне с грамматикой, то пожалуйста, помогите! Я только 11 месяцев изучаю русский язык.  
> Ok, so I wanted a bilingual Engish-Russian story in the NHL-verse, so I started writing one! Russian is not my native language, so I’m SUPER sorry if you can read it and it sucks (I’ve only been learning for 11 months).  
> ++I’ve written translations beneath every sentence or block of Russian text, so you can read this story, even if you don’t know any Russian.

–_/.\\_–

Alexander Ovechkin had been over to Evgeni Malkin’s house in Pittsburgh many times—for birthdays, cookouts, Russian holiday parties—but this time felt slightly different, and he wasn’t sure why.

This seemed to be a New Year’s celebration like any other. The same people that were usually there were sitting around a celebration table piled high with food, laughing and talking away in Russian as always. It was also not unusual to see Geno trying to get his mother to stop helping with the table. Ovi had seen him tell her to just relax and enjoy herself many times before, and as usual, he wasn’t being successful. As usual, she was swatting at his hand and telling him it was nonsense, that she wanted to help and that she would do it anyway, no matter how much he tried to persuade her to take a break.

That was all normal. But as Ovi neared the celebration table, he noticed something very unusual. There was someone at the table, sitting next to Sergei Gonchar, that he wasn’t expecting to see. He supposed it wasn’t completely farfetched, since this was Zhenya’s house and he could invite whomever he chose, but…he was sure that being at such a party, surrounded by Russians, would be very daunting for one Sidney Crosby. Ovi laughed to himself and plopped himself right into the empty seat next to Sidney.

“Eyy, Crosby…” he said, shaking Sid’s hand and nodding to Gonch; not particularly caring that he’d interrupted Sid and Gonch’s conversation. “Nice to see you.”

“Likewise,” Sid said, smiling at him.

“So, you ready for Russian party?” he asked Sidney pointedly.

Gonchar smiled and shook his head.

“I mean…I guess,” Sid said, his smile never fading. “Don’t worry, Geno already told me there would be a lot of drinking.”

There seemed to be a bit of facetiousness in Sid’s voice, and Ovi didn’t fail to pick up on it, but it somehow seemed out of place. He didn’t get much of a chance to think on it, however, because Geno had seen him come in and rushed up to greet him. 

After they had exchanged hugs and Ovi had handed Geno the bottle of wine and gift he had brought, he sat back and watched Sidney continue his conversation with Gonch.

“So, as I was saying, that is why many Russians still celebrate old new year as well.”

“Oh, wow, that’s pretty neat. Another reason to celebrate is always nice.”

“Exactly. Although, old new years is not a paid holiday, unfortunately.”

“Well, I guess they can’t _all_ be paid holidays…”

Ovi shook his head. Sid was getting the real first-time orientation from Gonch…if he hadn’t been there, Sid would probably have no idea what to do. Ovi would have stayed and watched, but a friend came over and struck up a conversation with him, and they ended up moving outside to talk. Besides, since Geno had set up streaming of the Russian New Year’s show on the big screen TV in the living room, Sid had seemed preoccupied with watching all the different lively, colourful performances.

“They will soon be playing The Irony of Fate,” Ovi had heard Gonchar say as he’d walked away. Sid made an intrigued sound. Ovi shook his head. Sid probably had no clue what that was.

–_/.\\_–

After they had watched the president’s speech (which of course was playing nine hours earlier than midnight in America), they all counted down and then drank champagne to the new year in Russia. Ovi wasn’t sitting next to Sid anymore, but it was funny glancing over every once in a while and imagining how lost he was. Gonch would whisper to him every once in a while, and he would nod in understanding. Sid was lucky to have an interpreter.

The party went on, and people wandered around Geno’s sprawling estate, having all sorts of different and interesting conversations…some had brought guitars and were singing songs to each other, others were burning up the sparklers way too early. Over the course of the day, Ovi noticed with amusement that Sid was never far from either Gonch or Geno. It was nice being able to watch the outsider for once instead of being the outsider.

Later that evening, Geno’s mother called everyone in for dinner. There were so many guests that Geno’d had to set up three separate tables. Everyone sat where they were most comfortable, most of them sitting with friends. Ovi made sure to sit near Sid and Gonch. He knew it was a little petty of him, but he wanted a front-row seat to Sidney’s initial orientation into Russian culture. He was sure it would be very amusing.

Geno’s dad soon poured wine for everyone as the first course of the meal was brought out: a nice, light fish soup with rice.

“Sid, you like the soup?” Geno asked as he sat down next to Sid with his own bowl in his hands.

“Yeah, it’s great! Did your mom make it?”

Geno smiled. “Yeah, she make a lot of the food today.”

“Give her my compliments!” Sidney said.

“You can do when she sit down,” Geno said. Ovi raised an eyebrow.

“If she ever does!” Sid laughed. “Haven’t you been trying to get her to sit down all day?”

Geno laughed back. “Yeah, I’m try! But she very stern, and I’m finally just give up!”

“Now I know where you got your stubborn-ness from,” Sid chirped.

“Heyy,” Geno said, smiling at his best friend. “Stubborn not a bad thing.”

“No,” Sid laughed. “Not at all.”

–_/.\\_–

Finally, by the last course, everyone (even Geno’s mother) had settled into their chairs. Sidney had been mostly quiet through the first two courses of the meal, simply eating and listening. Ovi was much too amused by the fact that Sidney had barely touched his kholodets* before giving up on it entirely. He smiled at the thought of having been right about how amusing sitting next to Sid would be.

After a while, though, Ovi noticed that Geno had been glancing at him every so often, and then glancing at Sidney, making eye contact, and smiling. About the fourth or fifth time it happened, Ovi was preparing to say something, but before he could say anything, Geno addressed Sidney.

“Ну, Сид, давай!” Geno said. “Предложите тост!”  
_«Well, come on Sid, give us a toast!»_

“Давай!” Gonch agreed.  
_«Yeah, come on!»_

“Тост! Тост! Тост!!” The guests at Geno’s table began to chant.  
_«Toast! Toast! Toast!»_

Sidney laughed and stood up. 

“Oh, jeez…Okay, okay…”

He held his glass to his chest as the table clamoured and chanted for a toast. Ovi looked around, confused. Ok, so Crosby had understood the word “toast”…after all, it was the same in English. As the people at the table continued clamouring for a toast, Ovi squinted at Sidney. What was he going to do, give it in English? But Ovi was shocked by the next words he heard come out of the Canadian man’s mouth. 

“Окей, окей! Подождите! Сейчас придумаю…”  
_«Okay, Okay! Hang on! I’m thinking!»_

Everyone quieted down, and Sidney hesitated, looking thoughtful. Finally, he turned to Geno.

“Э…давайте выпьем…за нашего хозяина, Женя.”  
_«Uh…Let’s drink…to our host, Zhenya.»_  
Sidney said, raising his glass to Geno. Geno smiled and looked down, shaking his head modestly. Geno’s mother smiled and held onto his elbow. Ovi just stared incredulously.

“Женя, ты всем очень хороший друг,”  
_«Zhenya, you are a very good friend to everyone,»_ Sidney continued. “Спасибо за все; за еду, напитки, и твоё гостеприимства. Я хочу предложить тост за твоё здоровье, и желаю тебе любви на всю жизнь.”  
_«Thank you for everything; for the food, drinks, and your hospitality. I want to make a toast to your health, and I wish you love for all your life.»_

Ovi’s jaw just about hit the floor as a round of applause broke out around the table and everyone yelled their agreement before drinking. Geno looked so proud, he might cry. Sid barely had an accent. Well, he had one, of course, but his pronunciation was still clear and precise. Ovi squinted at him again. How long had he been practicing that?

“Мо-ло-дец!” Gonch said to Sid as he sat down. “Прекрасно поговорил,” he added, slapping him on the back.  
_«Well done! You spoke beautifully!»_

“Спасибо,” Sid replied. “Но, я волновался—”  
_«Thanks, but I was worried—»_

“Не надо было волноваться!” Geno said. “Главное, что ты пытался! Я всё понял!”  
_«There was no need to worry! The main thing is that you tried! I understood everything!»_

Sid smiled at Geno. “Ну, я рад. Думал, что я плохо говорил.”  
_«Well, I’m glad! I thought I spoke horribly.»_

“Нет, нет—”  
_«No, no—»_

At that point, Ovi couldn’t resist speaking up, interrupting Geno.

“Ну…я просто в шоке.”  
_«Well…I am just in shock.»_

Geno, his parents, Sid, and Gonch all turned to face Ovi.

“Ты умеешь говорить по русски, Кросби?”  
_«You can speak Russian, Crosby?»_

Sidney shrugged a shoulder. “Немножко.”  
_«A little bit.»_

“Кого тебя научил? Учился сам?”  
_«Who taught you? Did you study by yourself?»_

“Нет, Женя и Серёжа меня научили.”  
_«No, Zhenya and Seryozha taught me.»_

“И мама тоже немножко тебя научила,” Geno said.  
_«And mom taught you a little, too!»_

“Правда! Почти как мама воспитана меня,” Sidney laughed.  
_«That’s true! It’s almost like your mom raised me!»_

“Правильно говорил, дорогой! Очень строго и воспитана!” Geno’s mother laughed along with him, reaching over and pinching his cheek.  
_«Yes, that’s very true, my dear! I raised you very strictly, too!»_

Ovi looked confused. “Э…и скажите, точно, зачем—”  
_«Uhh, so tell me, why exactly—»_

“Сид поедет к нам в гости в июле,” Geno’s dad added, as if he had read Ovi’s mind before he’d finished asking the question. He smiled and put a hand on Sid’s shoulder. “Сидни, конечно, должен был правильно воспитан прежде его поездки в Россию.”  
_«Sid’s going to come visit us in July! Of course he had to be taught proper manners before his trip!»_

The five of them laughed some more. Ovi shook his head in disbelief. If it were a practical joke, it seemed pretty elaborate…

“А скажи, Кросби, как долго учился?” Ovi asked.  
_«So tell me, Crosby, how long have you been studying?»_

Sid opened his mouth to answer, but Geno’s mother spoke up first.

“За 10 месяцев только!” Geno’s mom answered, sounding proud. “Сид очень быстро научится!”  
_«For only ten months! He learns very quickly!»_

“Это правда,” Geno said. “И Сид уже говорит по-русски лучше чем я говорю по-английски!”  
_«That’s right, and he already speaks better in Russian than I do in English!»_

Sid shook his head at Geno. “Нет, Женя, что ты?!”  
_«Oh come on, Zhenya, what are you talking about?»_

“Это правда!” Geno defended his opinion. “Ты очень хорошо говоришь!”  
_«It’s true! You speak very well!»_

For a while, Sid kept shaking his head modestly and saying, “Нет…О чём ты, Женя? Нет…”  
_«No, Zhenya, what are you talking about? No…»_  
and Geno kept repeating, “Да, это правда. Это именно так.”  
_«Yeah, it’s true. That’s exactly how it is.»_

“Постой,” Ovi interrupted again. “А почему ты не раньше говорил—”  
_«Wait a minute, then why weren’t you speaking before—»_

“Саш, если бы ты лучше обращал внимание,” Gonch spoke up, “Ты уж узнал бы, что мы с Сидни разговаривали на русском, а сразу перешли на английском когда ты приехал.”  
_«Sasha, if you had paid better attention, you would have figured out that me and Sidney were speaking in Russian and immediately switched to English when you arrived.»_

Ovi just stared for a second. How could he have missed that? But he hadn’t missed that something felt off…

“А когда Денис предложил первый тост—”  
_«And what about when Denis made the first toast—»_

“Я просто объяснил ему по-русски,” Gonch continued, “Несколько выражении, которые были в речи; например: объяснил причину почему Денис сказал: «жаль, что не наша».”  
_«I just explained to him, in Russian, a few of the idioms in the speech; like the reason why Denis said, “a shame she’s not ours”.»_

Sidney nodded and smiled at Ovi. “Я научу что-то новое каждый день.”  
_«I learn something new every day.»_

Ovi just shook his head. So…it _was_ kind of a prank. The main thing about it was, this wasn’t your typical prank. It was 10 months in the making, and Sidney had worked very hard for it. He probably was going to go to Russia, and he was probably going to be well-adjusted when he arrived. Geno, for one, looked extremely satisfied with the situation.

Well. Ovi supposed he could get used to it. After all, he could now chirp Sid on the ice in two different languages.

“Ну, молодец, Кросби,” Ovi said. “Но если бы ты действительно был воспитан, то ты уж съел бы всё свой холодец.”  
_«Well, good job, Crosby, but if you were really taught your manners, you would have eaten all of your Kholodets.»_

  
КОНЕЦ  
_THE END_

  
(*kholodets—Jellied fish or meat which is served cold and has to be made just right or it is absolutely positively uNPALATABLE)


End file.
